Ms. Lonely Arts is an advice column offering recommendations to the Brooklyn Museum’s fans, followers, and friends.

 

The Brooklyn Museum is so many things to so many people. It can offer sanctuary from chaos and a sense of community. It can provide a dose of inspiration when you need it most. It can be a bridge to other people or a way back to yourself. Some days, it’s just a clean, well-lit place in the city. (Those are hard to find too.) 

While the Brooklyn Museum might have what you’re seeking, 560,000 square feet is a lot of ground to traverse on your own. That’s why you should write to me, Ms. Lonely Arts. 

Here’s how it works: Maybe you’re super nervous about a first date and need an itinerary. Maybe you’re settling into retirement and want to attend more cultural events. Maybe you’re going through heartbreak and looking for a piece of art that soothes or makes you feel seen. Whatever it is, you can tell me. I’ll do my best to recommend something just for you.

Below, you’ll find suggestions for my first few advice seekers. Send your questions to yo@brooklynmuseum.org, starting your subject line with “ADVICE.”

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Brooklyn Museum exterior, central section, 1987. Color transparency. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

Dear Ms. Lonely Arts,

I go to a lot of events, bars, etc., alone, and need new ✨ fun facts ✨ about art (or museums) to break the ice. The weirder or more obscure the facts the better—what’s the best way to find them?

Sincerely,

Lone Wanderer

 

Dear Lone Wanderer,

First off, love this question. More people should go to things by themselves! 

Here are a few fun facts right off the bat for you: 

1. The Brooklyn Museum was supposed to be the biggest museum in the world! The original plan was divided into phases and construction began in 1895. By the 1930s, only about a quarter of the building was completed, but the entire footprint had been excavated. The berm around what is now the parking lot represents where the foundation would have gone. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Cherry Esplanade would have led to a grand entrance.
2. The Brooklyn Museum is home to the third largest collection of ancient Egyptian art in the United States. Many of these objects are exquisitely preserved—known to scholars as “Brooklyn Quality”—including an ivory knife handle that is older than the pyramids and adorned with miniature carvings of 227 individual animals of 19 different species.
3. Superstar artist Jean-Michel Basquiat grew up in the Crown Heights neighborhood and was a junior member of the Brooklyn Museum in his childhood. His family still has his membership card! Currently, you can catch one of his artworks in Solid Gold. 

Hungry for more? We regularly have free Gallery Tours. These are led by our fantastic volunteer A.R.T. Guides, who are passionate about sharing art (and fun tidbits) with others. If you’re short on time, you could check out our 15-minute Pop-Up Talks too. 

Another fantastic way to learn new art facts: Art History Happy Hours (affectionately called AHHH internally, as in, you’ll oooh and ahhh your way through them). These events feature short lectures by curators and artists, as well as some pretty tasty cocktails. The series starts back up on January 23 with the Arts of Asia galleries and a new display of Japanese prints!

See you there,

Ms. Lonely Arts

P.S. Bonus fun fact: The Museum’s entrance used to be way above ground level, at what is now the third floor. A monumental staircase originally led visitors up there, but it was removed in 1934 (while the architect’s representative to the board was out of town) because it was dangerous in the wind. Now you can impress strangers before you even enter the building. That’ll . . . blow them away.

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Arthur Mones. Art Smith, 1979. Gelatin silver print. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Wayne and Stephanie Mones at the request of their father, Arthur Mones, 2000.89.36. © Estate of Arthur Mones. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

Dear Ms. Lonely Arts,

I want to be more involved in the queer community, especially by supporting queer artists and craftspeople, but I don’t know where to start. 

—Pink Pony Club

 

Dear Pink Pony Club,

You’ve come to the right place! We’re proud to present public programs where you can connect with the queer community. For example, we partner with dapperQ to host the largest LGBTQIA+ fashion show during New York Fashion Week. Our Drink and Draw series features special Drag and Draw editions in honor of Brooklyn Pride, which we also celebrate at First Saturdays. We regularly spotlight queer artists, authors, and other creators in our Brooklyn Talks series. And if you’re age 14–19, you can join in our annual LGBTQ+ Teen Night. (Check the calendar and sign up for the Museum’s email newsletters to stay up-to-date on these events and more.)

Perhaps you’d like to learn about queer artists in the Museum’s collection. Designer Art Smith’s work is characterized by asymmetry, biomorphism, and, most of all, an awareness of the human form. Born in Cuba and raised in Brooklyn, Smith showed a passion and talent for the arts at an early age. He ultimately pursued commercial art and sculpture—a background that proved invaluable when he became a jeweler. In 1947, he opened his first jewelry store on Cornelia Street in Greenwich Village. By the mid-1950s, his career was flourishing, with features in Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue.

After Smith’s passing, a collection of his jewelry was gifted to the Brooklyn Museum by his partner, Charles L. Russell. Four pieces are currently on view in our Decorative Arts and Design galleries, including the iconic New Orleans Necklace. (I’m obsessed.) Browse our online collection for other examples, such as the Linked Oval Necklace, which Smith himself is seen wearing in the portrait by photographer Arthur Mones above.

If you’re looking to support local queer makers, look no further than our upcoming Holiday Market with Brooklyn Pop-Up! The market is a community event where you can connect with and support local artisans. A few quick recommendations for you: EVERYTHiNG SOULFuL, From Here to Sunday, and Preloved Sewciety.

Good Luck, Babe!

Ms. Lonely Arts

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Mayumi Nakao. Subway Car, 2022. Oil on canvas. Courtesy of the Hort Family Collection. © Mayumi Nakao. (Photo: Courtesy of the Hort Family Collection)

Dear Ms. Lonely Arts,

I’m so burned out right now. I feel overwhelmed and overstimulated all the time. I’m thinking that it might be helpful to be looking more at art, but I’m honestly not sure where to start. (I live in New York City and really enjoy experiencing contemporary art.) Can you help?

Yours,

Burned Out Babe

 

Dear Burned Out Babe,

Thanks for writing in with such honesty. The way you’re feeling is so understandable, and you’re so not alone! It’s easy to get overstimulated in NYC. But the flip side of the coin is that art is never far away.

We recently opened The Brooklyn Artists Exhibition, a group show of more than 200 artists. It’s a celebration of Brooklyn and the vibrancy of the people who have created art here. To make this sweeping exhibition more manageable, take a virtual tour first to home in on what you want to see. 

A few of my personal favorites are Sylvia Maier’s Bodega, Rick Secen’s Game of Crazy Eights, and Mayumi Nakao’s Subway Car, each of which captures an everyday scene with dignity and wonder. Together they serve as a gentle reminder to slow down, take in our surroundings, and see the beauty in small moments. When you leave the show, you might ruminate on your own daily routine. Do any stops along the way make you feel a sense of calm?

I’d also 10/10 recommend that you visit Toward Joy, a transformative reinstallation of our American Art galleries. There are many spaces for reflection, particularly in the framework called “A Quiet Place.” I hope it brings you some peace.

With a hug,

Ms. Lonely Arts

 

Ms. Lonely Arts is Director of Advice at the Brooklyn Museum. Reach out to her at yo@brooklynmuseum.org, subject line “ADVICE.”